Dragonball Z Lives On: The Shizen Saga
by Ali Mystic
Summary: A strong new enemy is on it's way to Earth. And she wants revenge against a certain mysterious girl. Who is this girl? Is the Earth really alive? What is her connection to it? Does Piccolo have feelings for her?*CONTINUED IN THE FROZENA SAGA*
1. Prologue

Dragonball Z Lives On:

The Shizen Saga

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Author: I do not own DBZ or its characters and this is not for profit. I do not like Dragonball GT or the Buu Saga, so I ignore them in my story. Also, at the end of the Cell Saga, Goku is wished back. He didn't make his noble decision. This is the first saga in what I hope to be a continuing series, if I get enough reviews. This first saga takes place at the time when Gohan would have become the Great Saiyaman for the first time. This prologue takes place at the Trunks saga. It may be confusing but all will be explained later in the story. The little poems are originals written by me, so don't copy! Every now and then, if I see a poem that fits my story written by someone else and put it in, I'll say so.

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Prologue

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I am always nowhere,

That is how I felt

Living alone and unknown

Until I sensed your eyes upon me.

With one blast, the purple-haired boy destroyed the most powerful force in the universe. Nearby, a group of fighters watched in wonder. As this strange boy invited them to come wait for a certain Saiyan to arrive, one of the fighters felt some strange energy not far off. Looking, the tall green alien could see nothing but dirt and rocks. Dismissing it as so, he turned to follow the others as the boy led them to the landing site.

I have come to bury a secret,

Deep beneath the earth

Where none can see

And none will know.

In the direction he had been looking, out of the earth suddenly rose a large quantity of soil. Metamorphosing, it became a young girl with a strange tattoo upon her forehead. Instead of following them, she just stared at the spot where the deadly monster had perished. Unnoticed, a single tear slipped down her cheek as the remains disappeared into the earth.

Watery tears slip from my eyes,

And I know not what they mean

Do they come from some hidden anguish

Deep within me?


	2. Chapter 1

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Chapter 1

The rushing water creates serenity

As gentle nature whispers in my ear

And I listen attentively.

It was a beautiful spot, hidden deep in the forest where no one could find it. The trees parted to reveal a majestic waterfall. At the bottom was a deep clear pool, perfect for drinking and swimming. Except for the roar of the waterfall, the place was peaceful and quiet. The only living creatures were birds, squirrels, and chipmunks.

That was why the strange young girl had chosen this place to live. She sat upon a rock outcropping just above the waterfall, eyes closed, just listening to the birds go about their business. Without warning her eyes opened wide in shock and fright. "No. It can't be."

And as she quivered in fear, the earth around her began shaking as well. The tremors grew bigger, and with them came a strange roaring sound, almost like a moan. As it grew louder, it became overpowering, deafening her to all else. Clapping her hands over her ears, she screamed.

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Elsewhere . . .

Piccolo was meditating high in the mountains when he first heard it. It was a sound unlike anything he had ever heard before and it was getting louder. Opening his eyes, he discovered the earth around him was shaking and trembling. The sound grew thunderous, causing his sensitive ears to hurt painfully.

Just when he didn't think he could stand it anymore, the sound stopped and so did the shaking. The sudden silence was eerie. Alighting to the ground, Piccolo looked around him in wonder. 

"What the hell was that?" 

Something is trying to speak

To express its fear and spread a warning

With no language but a cry.


	3. Chapter 2

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Chapter 2

Thrice lifetimes and much more have passed

While I have lived in obscurity

Now my presence must be brought into the light.

As the girl rubbed her aching ears, a beautiful little dragon with scales a scarlet red landed in her lap, begging for comfort. As she stroked its belly, she slipped deep into thought. The roaring and shaking had happened throughout the world, and it had certainly not gone unnoticed.

Speaking out loud, she said, "Especially not by 'them'. And they will certainly go to the lookout to find out what it was. And considering how determined they are, he might be forced to reveal everything." The girl paused to study the rushing water.

"I had hoped she wouldn't escape. But she has and now I will need help. Which means I will have to reveal myself to them." She sighed, causing the little dragon in her lap to look up at her. "It's alright. I knew it would happen someday. I just wish it didn't have to happen at all."

Lifting the little dragon up, she stared deeply into its sapphire eyes. The dragon's eyes began to glow brightly, as the girl's own eyes also began to glow. A few moments later, the glow dissipated and she released the dragon. "Go to the lookout. Give Father my message. I will follow shortly."

With a screech, the dragon spread its graceful wings and took to the air. The girl stood and stepped into the water. Slowly, her form morphed 'til she appeared like liquid. She silently disappeared into the waterfall.

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A great distance away, just as the strange girl predicted . . .

Piccolo wasn't surprised when Goku, Gohan, Goten, Vegeta, Bulma, Trunks, Krillin, Eighteen, Sixteen, Yamcha, and Paur arrived within minutes at the lookout after him. If anyone knew what that noise was, it would probably be the Guardian of the Earth. A few seconds later, Dende and Mr. Popo came out to greet them.

"Hiya, Dende," cried Goku cheerfully.

"Alright, let's cut the chitchat. I want to know right now, what in the hell was that?" yelled Vegeta, obviously in a foul temper.

The whole group turned inquiring eyes to Dende, waiting for an explanation. Dende noticeably gulped. "I'm sorry to say this but I have no idea what caused that noise we all heard. The whole world heard it, actually."

Everyone began clamoring in shock and consternation, causing Piccolo to almost miss a quiet, calm voice say, "I can explain what happened."

Aggravated, Piccolo bellowed, "Quiet, everyone!" Turning to Mr. Popo, he asked, impatiently, "Now, what did you say?"

Mr. Popo, patient as always, said calmly, "I can explain what happened, if you're willing to listen."

Everyone stared in surprise at the small black gardener.

"Well, then, little man, get on with it," growled Vegeta.

"Honestly, Vegeta, sometimes you can be so rude," commented Bulma.

"If you'd be willing, please explain Mr. Popo," said Dende, ignoring Vegeta.

"Well, you see," began Mr. Popo, noticeably wringing his hands in a perturbed way. "The Earth is alive."


	4. Chapter 3

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Chapter 3

Tell of a history

That has long since been forgotten

Unveil past lies to find hidden truths.

"Well, you see," began Mr. Popo, noticeably wringing his hands in a perturbed way. "The Earth is alive."

Total silence. Then, total chaos.

"What did you just say?" That was Gohan.

"No way!" That was Goku.

"Are you serious?" That was Krillin.

"Impossible." That was Eighteen.

"Do you honestly expect me to believe that?" That was Vegeta.

"A planet? Alive? How is that possible?" That was Bulma.

"There is just no way that could be true!" That was Yamcha.

"Oh, my!" That was Paur.

"I think Mr. Popo has lost it!" That was Trunks.

"Lost what?" That was Goten.

"Quiet!" Again Piccolo had to bellow to be heard. 

Before Piccolo could say anything, big, silent Sixteen spoke up. "If we are all quiet, Mr. Popo should be able to explain himself."

Clearing his throat, Mr. Popo began. "Well, I don't know how it came about but millions of years ago, the Earth became aware. She is the oldest living creature in the universe. The Earth will never age and will never become ill but she can be killed. She does talk but in a way that most people can't understand. And she does cry sometimes. What we just heard was the Earth crying out in fear."

"Fear?" asked Yamcha, sweating.

"Fear of what, Mr. Popo?" asked Goku, becoming serious.

Mr. Popo took a step back, trembling. Leery, Piccolo glared, intimidating him. "What is the Earth afraid of Mr. Popo?"

Mr. Popo gulped. "I don't know. I can't speak to the Earth."

"This is ridiculous!" exclaimed Vegeta.

"How are we supposed to find out what the Earth is afraid of if we can't talk to her?" asked Krillin, rubbing his chin in thought.

Piccolo frowned in consideration. "You said that _most_ people can't understand the Earth. Do you know of someone that _can_ speak with her?"

Mr. Popo sweatdropped. Everyone noticed. "You do know someone!" cried out Gohan triumphantly.

"Take us to him!" demanded Vegeta.

"That wouldn't be a good idea," replied Mr. Popo.

"Why not?" asked Goku, scratching his head in puzzlement.

"She doesn't like visitors. She doesn't trust anyone. She prefers to be left alone."

"Just who is this person? And how is _she_ able to speak with the Earth?" questioned Piccolo.

Before Mr. Popo could respond, they all heard a high-pitched shriek. Turning, they spotted a beautiful red mini-dragon gliding towards the lookout. With a low musical trill, it swooped down and landed upon Mr. Popo's shoulder. Chirping authoritatively, it folded back its wings and took a guarding stance. 

"What is that, Mr. Popo?" asked Dende, pointing with his staff at the elegant little dragon who was hissing at anyone who would dare approach it.

"This is Embyr, Kyloa's loyal pet dragon," announced Mr. Popo.

"And this Kyloa is the one you have mentioned?" questioned Dende. Mr. Popo nodded.

"Why is she here? What does she want?" asked Krillin.

"I will find out." Mr. Popo stared deep into Embyr's eyes and became lost in them as they began glowing a brilliant shade of blue. The glow disappeared after a few seconds and Mr. Popo was able to look away.

"What the heck was that?" exclaimed Yamcha.

"A way of communicating. As you can see, Embyr isn't an ordinary dragon," replied Mr. Popo as he stroked Embyr's head.

"So what did the _dragon_ have to say?" sneered Vegeta.

"She has a message from Kyloa. She says that it is all right to explain who she is and the history of the Earth."

"But what about what the Earth is afraid of?" asked Goten, floating forward to get a closer look at the little dragon. Embyr hissed and took a swipe at him with her claws. Trunks snickered.

"She is coming herself to explain. Which means it must be serious, for she rarely ever leaves her forest home."

"If it's serious, you better do as she asked and explain _everything_," commanded Piccolo, crossing his arms.

"It originated a long time ago," began Mr. Popo. "The Earth has a tremendous amount of power but she can only use it to create life, not destroy it. She loves every creature that lives upon her and views them as her children. And as any mother, the Earth is very protective. So eons ago, the Earth gave birth to a human child and named him Kan. If the world was endangered, Earth could transfer her power to Kan, who could use it to protect her. He was the first Guardian of the Earth."

"How come you never told Kami any of this?" asked Piccolo, perplexed. In his mind, he had all of Kami's knowledge and Kami knew nothing of this.

"I was sworn to secrecy by Kautax, the guardian before Kami. He was a Shizen and all Shizen had a hard time trusting people. He would have told Kami when he became guardian, if he hadn't been killed by the demon Garlic, the father of Garlic Jr."

"Continue your story, Mr. Popo," ordered Dende.

"Kan was guardian for thousands of years," continued Mr. Popo. "Then he fell in love with a mortal woman. Kan was immortal like the Earth and not wanting his beloved to die, he asked the Earth to make her immortal. But she couldn't. So instead, Kan asked to be made mortal. The Earth reluctantly granted his request."

"That is so romantic!" exclaimed Bulma. Eighteen gave a rude snort. Bulma glowered at her. "Well, it is." Everyone ignored them.

Mr. Popo continued with his tale. "Kan and his beloved had many children. Their descendants were the Shizen, who were in charge of selecting the guardian, usually a shizen. Because the guardian was mortal, he couldn't handle the transference of power. So the guardian became a lookout and chose a team of four fighters who could handle the power divided amongst them. They were the first Earth Special Forces. But they weren't called that back then. They were called Chi." 

"So, this Kyloa is a Shizen?" asked Gohan. 

"No. Kyloa was born about 140 years afterwards." Mr. Popo paused and seemed reluctant to go on.

"After what?" asked Eighteen, curious despite herself.

"What happened to the Shizen?" asked Dende. "They weren't around to select me to be guardian."

Tears in his eyes, Mr. Popo looked away. "As Piccolo knows, Kautax died destroying Garlic. What you don't know is that before he could kill Garlic, the demon committed genocide. Garlic knew the secret of the Shizen people and destroyed them all. They're extinct. Even though the Earth hadn't approved of Kan becoming mortal, she became fond of the Shizen and she misses them very much."

"That is so sad!" cried Paur.

Embyr hissed at Paur for interrupting. Mr. Popo continued. "The Earth became so lonely that she did a surprising thing."

"What surprising thing?" asked Krillin.

"Quit interrupting! I would like him to finish his story before we all grow old!" yelled Vegeta, agitated.

"When Kan died, the Earth went into a prolonged state of mourning. When she emerged, she vowed to never have another child. But the Earth missed the Shizen so much, she gave birth to another child, hoping she would restart the Shizen people."

"Are you saying that Kyloa is the Earth's daughter?" exclaimed Piccolo, eyes wide in shock.

A different voice answered him. "Yes, he is."


	5. Chapter 4

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Author: Disclaimer. I wish I did but I don't. Please let me know how you like this fic. It's my first DBZ fic.

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Chapter 4

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The evil must be laid bare

But they must never have knowledge

Of the dreadful torment I have endured.

The whole group whirled to find a sight different from what they were expecting. Standing behind them was a human girl not much taller than Vegeta and who looked not much older than Gohan. Her dark forest green hair fell just below her waist and her eyes were an intense bright green shades lighter than her hair. Upon her forehead was a small tattoo in the shape of a raindrop, only it was a shade of red as dark as dried blood. She wore a body suit of the same color with a white tunic that ended just below the knees. The suit covered her whole body except for her petite hands and just partially covered her sturdy feet, which were bare. Gazing at them with a peculiar look in her eyes, she seemed ethereal and otherworldly as she floated just a few inches above the ground. Upon seeing her, Embyr let out a series of excited chirps and left Mr. Popo to go perch on her shoulder.

"You're Kyloa?" asked Goku.

"Who else could she be?" asked Bulma.

"Yes, I am Kyloa. And the Earth _is_ my mother," replied the girl, her voice serene and mellow. Piccolo frowned in incertitude. He felt a peculiar energy from her that was somehow familiar.

"That is preposterous! I don't believe a word of it!" scoffed Vegeta. Embyr hissed in objection and would have attacked him if Kyloa hadn't placed her hand upon the little dragon to keep her still.

"God, Vegeta! Do you have to be so rude?" exclaimed Bulma.

"It is his nature. You can't force someone to go against his nature. A person may change his ways but his nature will stay the same," commented Kyloa as she lowered herself the last few inches to the ground. She then turned to Vegeta and said, "You may not believe it, Vegeta, but I am the Earth's daughter." Lifting a hand to touch the mark upon her forehead she said," I was born with this mark. It means I am of the Earth's blood. She gave birth to me hoping I would begin a new race of Shizen."

"It seems you have failed to do so," remarked Eighteen.

"I am waiting for the right time. But that is not what I came here to discuss. I came to explain what the Earth is afraid of." Kyloa went to Mr. Popo and gave him a hug. Pulling away she said, " Thank you for explaining everything for me. I know you don't like reliving the past, Father Popo."

"Father?!" exclaimed Yamcha. "They don't look like family to me," whispered Trunks. Goten nodded in agreement.

"Father Popo was the one who found me when I was a baby and raised me. He hid me from Kami and kept me safe. He gave me my name," explained Kyloa.

"Oh! You probably don't know our names, though. Maybe we should introduce ourselves," suggested Goku.

"There is no need. I already know who you all are," replied Kyloa calmly.

"How could you possibly know that?" growled Vegeta, looking askance.

"I have been observing your exploits and battles for quite some time now," explained Kyloa, giving Vegeta an intense look. He averted his glare, finding something unsettling about her eyes.

"Enough chatting. Explain what we came out here to learn in the first place. _What is the Earth afraid of?_" demanded Piccolo, losing his patience.

Walking to edge of the lookout, Kyloa studied the scenery below, deep in thought. Her voice was placid and distant. "It happened a long time ago. Everything always begins in the past. I was not that old then, as am I know. A strange being, an alien, came to this planet. I still don't know what reasons he came here for. But I do know that while he was here, he discovered something special about human blood."

Bulma gasped in shock. "I know what you're talking about! I just discovered it recently. When human DNA is mixed with any other species DNA, the offspring produced are much more powerful then both species on their own. That's why Gohan and Trunks and Goten are so strong! It is unique _only_ to human DNA. If you mixed, say, Saiyan and Namek, the offspring would be nothing really special."

"What a sickening thought! Saiyan and Namek! What _are_ you thinking?" yelled Vegeta, aghast. Piccolo was no less appalled.

"Just who was this alien?" asked Dende, forcing himself to shove the disturbing thought out of his mind.

"He called himself an Akidaian. He claimed it was a very powerful race, although nearly extinct. And from what I have seen, he was not exaggerating. He went by the name of King Kold," answered Kyloa.

"Are you trying to say Frieza's father has been to Earth before and did not destroy it?" blurted out Vegeta.

"Frieza's father?!" exclaimed Piccolo.

"Frieza had a father?" cried Goku.

"Of course he did. He was the big guy killed right alongside Frieza by Trunks years ago," said Vegeta in scorn.

Bulma gave a shriek as she figured out something that had been puzzling her. "So that explains why Frieza was half human! My tests said he was but I couldn't believe it! King Kold took a human woman for a mate, didn't he?"

"What?!" cried everyone in unison. 

"Not exactly." Everyone turned to the person who had answered; Kyloa. They had forgotten about her in their dismay and perplexity at learning such an astonishing fact. She still stood calmly in the same spot, looking out across the world as the wind blew her hair around her face. 

"I'm sorry we interrupted you, Kyloa," spoke up Dende, polite as always. "Please continue."

She continued her story, voice detached and calm. "King Kold didn't take a human as his mate. It would have been . . . beneath him. He did kidnap a young girl and plant his seed in her, impregnating her. Just after the baby was born, his true mate, Queen Frozena, came to Earth and discovered what he had done."

"I bet she wasn't too happy about it either," muttered Krillin.

"What wife would be happy to discover her husband had committed such a transgression?" commented Eighteen, eyeing Krillin meaningfully. Krillin gave her an innocent look.

"Queen Frozena was indeed extremely angry. And female Akidaians are much more powerful than males, so there was nothing King Kold could do. Queen Frozena wanted to destroy the whole Earth, not just the woman and her child." Here Kyloa hesitated before continuing, making Piccolo suspicious.

"Discovering this, I was able to rescue the woman. Kami came and tried to fight Queen Frozena but he was no match for her. So the Earth gave me some of her power and I was able to imprison her within a rose. I was so weak afterwards that I wasn't able to stop King Kold from escaping with the rose and the baby. As you all know, that baby grew up to be the almighty and powerful Frieza." Kyloa hid her face then, as if ashamed. Embyr crooned softly in her ear, trying to comfort her mistress.

"Why doesn't Kami remember any of this?" asked Piccolo. He studied the back of her head. _Does she feel guilty about letting King Kold and Frieza get away?_

"The Earth thought it best to erase everyone's memories of the incident, including Kami's," was Kyloa's quiet reply.

"I thought the Earth had a lot of power. Why weren't you able to destroy both Queen Frozena and King Kold?" asked Gohan.

"She only gave me some of her power. I am not a fighter. I have no training or experience. I was not created to protect. The Earth created me with a more domesticated nature in mind and it is difficult to go against one's nature."

"You still haven't told us what the Earth is afraid of," said Piccolo, still scrutinizing the strange girl before him. 

Kyloa turned around and looked him in the eye head on. Her gaze was penetrating and solemn, making Piccolo speculate the meaning of it. "The Earth cried out because she could sense what I sensed. She was reacting to the fear I felt." The next words made Piccolo regret pressuring her into revealing what he wanted:

"She has been freed. Somehow Queen Frozena has escaped from her imprisonment. And she is heading here."


	6. Chapter 5

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Author: I just want to say thanks to storyteller and Piccolo Raper for reviewing my fic. And I would really appreciate it if more people reviewed, even if it were flames. I need criticism.

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Chapter 5

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The danger is coming

The fear is now known

The teaching must begin.

It didn't take long for everyone to assimilate the information and react to it.

Goku's reaction: "What?"

Sixteen's reaction: "Are you sure?"

Krillin's reaction: "Oh, just great!"

Vegeta's reaction: "How do you know?"

Bulma's reaction: "What do we do?"

Eighteen's reaction: "When will she get here?"

Yamcha's reaction: "This is not happening!"

Gohan's reaction: "How do we stop her?"

Paur's reaction: "Oh, no!"

Trunks' reaction: "Cool! Finally, something exciting!"

Goten's reaction: "I don't think this is a good thing, Trunks."

Piccolo's reaction: "Why is she heading here?"

Kyloa answered Piccolo's question first. "I imagine that she probably wants revenge on me for imprisoning her in the first place. And when she finds out her son Cooler, Frieza's brother, is dead, she'll probably go after Goku as well."

"Oh, just great. Double the reason to destroy us all," moaned Yamcha.

"I'll ask again, How do you know that she is coming here?" demanded Vegeta, thinking, _How much more family does Frieza have?_

"Kaachi can sense her, somewhat, in space. The rose she was imprisoned in left a scent of the Earth's power on her, enabling her to keep track of her movements. If she keeps heading in her current direction, at the same speed, she should reach Earth in about a year," explained Kyloa.

"Kaachi?" asked Piccolo, eyebrow raised.

"Mother," Kyloa said simply.

"How powerful is she?" asked Eighteen.

"More powerful than you are, I know for sure. Female Akidaians are much more powerful than males. Queen Frozena's power most definitely surpassed Frieza, even if he was half-human. And while she was in the rose, all she did was train, hoping to escape, so I'm afraid she's even more powerful than a Super Saiyan now."

"So how are we supposed to defeat Queen Frozena?" wondered Krillin.

"We'll just have to train as hard as we can 'til she arrives and hope that it is enough," replied Goku, his face solemn.

The calm upon Kyloa's face began to slip. "Training may have worked for you in the past, Goku but it can't help you know. This situation calls for something different."

"Then what do you suggest we do?" questioned Piccolo, glowering at her.

"I agree to training but training to use a new kind of power. I was able to imprison Queen Frozena with just some of the Earth's power and no training. With your training and experience and the Earth backing you up, I believe you'll be able to defeat her," said Kyloa earnestly.

"What are you trying to say?" asked Gohan perplexed.

Kyloa took a calming breath. "I would like for you to become students of the Earth. If the teaching goes well, two of you will become Chi."

They all became very quiet, adjusting their thoughts to this new idea. Dende spoke first. "I agree with Kyloa. I think this is the wisest course of action. But I am confused by one thing. I thought you said that the Earth's power must be divided among four Chi. You said just two will be chosen. Why?"

Kyloa gave him an enigmatic look. "Because two of you are already Chi."

Among the exclamations of "Huh?" and "What?" Piccolo leaned back against a pillar thoughtfully. After Embyr let out an ear-splitting screech to quiet everyone, Piccolo spoke what he thought. "Goku is a Chi, isn't he?"

Kyloa turned to him in surprise. "Why, yes, he is. Very observant of you. Kaachi and I have been watching Goku since he came to Earth. She has been distrustful of any strange visitor since King Kold. But after seeing Goku defeat Pilaf and then the Red Ribbon Army, she began trusting him. And when he defeated Piccolo Daimioh, she decided she wanted him as a Chi. I carried out her wishes, although I disapproved of the wisdom in it at the time. Before Goku left for his training under Kami, I taught him the ways of Chi."

"And what proof do you have of that?" gibed Vegeta.

"This." Kyloa stepped towards Goku. He backed off, disconcerted. "Do not worry. I won't hurt you. Roll up your left sleeve." Goku did as she asked. Placing her hand upon his shoulder, she concentrated. The mark upon her forehead began to glow, as did his shoulder. Moments later she stepped away, letting everyone view what she had done.

"Where did that come from?" asked Goku in confusion. On his shoulder was a tattoo similar to the one on Kyloa's forehead. It had the same blood red drop, but a black circle surrounded it.

"That looks like your tattoo Kyloa, except for the black circle," remarked Gohan, amazed.

"That circle is the Circle of Protection, the mark of the Chi. As you can see, he is what I said he is."

"Hey, wait a second! I don't remember any of that! I don't remember you or any sort of Chi lessons!" shouted Goku, bewildered.

Kyloa gave him a reassuring look. "You're not supposed to, Goku. Kaachi erased your memories, so that if you encountered King Kold, he couldn't use you to lead back to me. If you needed the power, your memory could be restored. Which I will do now."

Taking Goku's head into her hands, Kyloa used her power to unlock the hidden memories inside of Goku. He stepped back, blinking in astonishment. "My gosh! I remember it all now! Whew, you were a hard taskmaster! And boy! Those lessons were tough to learn!"

Goku was given strange looks all around. Krillin pulled his attention away from his best friend as he realized something. "You said two of us are Chi. So who's the other one?"

"Why, Gohan, of course."

Startled, Gohan nearly fell over. "What?"

"When one of your parents is Chi, so are you, if you're the oldest and the Earth thinks it is right for you to be one," explained Kyloa. Stepping forward, she indicated for him to roll up his sleeve. Within seconds, Gohan had a tattoo upon his shoulder just like his father.

As Gohan stared in wonderment, Kyloa turned to the rest. "So, are you willing to become students? The power you will learn to use is extraordinary, trust me."

Big, silent Sixteen stepped forward. Throughout the whole conversation, he had not said much. "I am willing."

Kyloa gave him a grateful look. "Anyone else?"

Krillin stepped forward. "I am."

Eighteen gave her husband a look and then stepped forward. "I guess I am willing to become a student as well."

Bulma got a belligerent look on her face and shoved Vegeta forward. "What do you think you are doing, Bulma?"

Bulma put her hands on her hips. "Now you listen here! There are many lives at stake and the only way to stop this Queen Frozena is to become a Chi. Although why the Earth would choose you as a Chi is beyond me."

Vegeta scowled at her. "And just what is that supposed to mean?"

Bulma smirked. She knew just what to do to get Vegeta to do what she wanted. "Just that you are such an idiot, that you probably wouldn't be able to learn anything from her lessons."

Vegeta very nearly went super. "I'll show you Woman!" Turning, he took a place by Krillin. "Fine! I will undertake the lessons as well!"

Kyloa gave Vegeta a strange look but did not comment. Krillin turned to glance at Yamcha. "What about you, Yamcha? Aren't you going to come with us and learn how to be a Chi?"

Yamcha shook his head. "I don't fight anymore. I'll leave saving the world to those who are much stronger than me, like you guys. I wish you the best of luck though!" With that, Yamcha took off, with Paur in close pursuit.

The others watched them fly away, then turned their attention back to Kyloa, who seemed to be studying the sky and the clouds. Before they could ponder about it, Goten stepped forward. "Can me and Trunks come as well?"

Kyloa looked curiously at them. She had had very little contact with children. "I am sorry but I'm afraid you are too young. To learn these lessons requires a mental discipline you won't acquire for a few years yet."

Trunks scowled and gave a kick. "Darn! How unfair!"

Kyloa shook her head. Training to be a Chi is difficult and in no way is it fun. _Why would they want to come? Aren't they afraid of what will happen when Queen Frozena arrives?_ Suddenly, Piccolo stepped forward, interrupting her thoughts. "I will become your student as well."

Hiding her surprise, Kyloa scrutinized the tall green alien. It was hard to tell what he could possibly be thinking. _Don't wonder. We all have our secrets to keep._ Turning to Dende, she said, "Would you come along as well? As Guardian of the Earth, you should learn how to pick and train Chi."

Dende smiled. "If you are willing to teach me, as well as the others."

"I am." Slowly, Kyloa lifted off the ground into the air. Embyr gave a squawk and left her shoulder, scolding. Dende, Goku, Gohan, Piccolo, Krillin, Eighteen, Sixteen, and Vegeta left the ground as well to follow. She turned to them, nervous about revealing what she could do.

Goku looked at her and remembered. "Do you want me to carry you?"

The others gave him weird looks. "No. It's okay. I have to be more trusting. It's not a good Shizen trait to keep." Turning her attention back to the others she said, "I cannot fly very well. There is another way for me to travel that is easier but you won't be able to follow. Goku knows where to go. It's where I taught him in the past. You'll probably get there before me but I'll be there shortly."

With that, Kyloa backed away a distance and began concentrating. Again, Piccolo felt that peculiarly familiar energy, only much stronger. Slowly, right before their eyes, Kyloa became insubstantial and then dissipated into the air. She could not be seen at all. But a faint voice reached their ears before the energy sense faded as well: "I'll see you there."


	7. Chatper 6

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Chapter 6

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Three drops of blood

To call forth from the earth

A new life with a fiery spirit.

It didn't take long for the group of fighters to get there at the speed they flew. And Kyloa had been right; they reached the place before she did. It was a nice place. There was a wide-open meadow good for sparring. A river nearby for drinking and bathing. A short distance away, a forest began, probably good for hunting. Standing at the edge of the forest was what looked to be an abandoned cottage, probably where they would sleep. Goku seemed pretty familiar with the area, as he went scouting around to see if anything had changed since he'd been there.

Without warning they heard a series of squawks and shrieks and looked up to see that Embyr had followed them. The little red dragon appeared to panic 'til she saw Goku. Letting out a series of chirps and trills, she took up a perch on his shoulder. She then hissed sharply at Goku, daring him to make an objection, which he didn't. Goku wasn't that dense.

Tension began to fill the area as they waited for Kyloa to arrive. They still didn't entirely trust her, although Goku seemed to. Krillin tried to start a conversation to fill the silence. "So, Goku, what was it like being a student of the Earth?"

Goku scratched his head in thought. "Well, the lessons were pretty strange at first. But once I received the power, it made sense. The coolest thing was being able to talk to the Earth."

Piccolo gave him a look of skepticism. "_You_ were able to talk to the Earth?"

Goku frowned. "Well, not really. I could only hear her and that was just when she wanted me to understand her."

"How strange," commented Dende.

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Strange indeed thought Piccolo. Suddenly he felt a strange collection of energy off to the side and turned to look. Gohan, noticing, asked, "What is it, Piccolo?"

Before Piccolo could reply, a large spout of water came spurting out of the river. It quickly morphed to take on the form of a human girl and then became flesh. It was Kyloa.

"Man! What an entrance!" exclaimed Krillin in awe.

"So, you can travel by turning into air or water. Anything else you can change into?" asked Gohan, curious.

Stepping onto the bank of the river, Kyloa gave her tunic a twitch, shaking out a few remaining water droplets. Embyr gave an experimental chirp and surprising them all, Kyloa gave a chirp back. Trilling, Embyr flew to her shoulder as Kyloa turned to face Gohan. "I can only become elements of the Earth. Air, water, fire, and of course, earth. That also includes plants and trees."

Eighteen gave a sigh of impatience. "So when do we begin our lessons?"

"First, I have a surprise for Goku," replied Kyloa, turning towards the forest. She let out a loud whistle and they all heard a series of chirps and trills in reply coming from the forest. All of a sudden, another mini-dragon appeared out of the trees. This one had scales a much darker red than Embyr's and was noticeably larger than her. And unlike Embyr, this dragon had sharp ivory horns instead of a thick mane of hair.

Goku let out a gasp of surprise upon seeing him. "Oh, my gosh! It's Skorch!" The little dragon, upon hearing Goku's voice, let out a high pitch shriek and dove straight for him. He landed quickly upon his shoulder and began licking him excitedly, as Goku petted him, trying to calm him down. "Alright, Skorch! I missed you too!"

"Uh, Goku, since when do you have a pet dragon?" asked Krillin, scratching his head in puzzlement.

"Skorch's not a pet. He was my training partner during Kyloa's lessons."

"Will we have to train with a dragon as well?" asked Gohan.

"Yes. A Chi warrior must have a dragon partner. While you're training, you'll all have dragons. But once the two Chi are chosen, only they will keep their dragon partners, while the others who weren't chosen won't," explained Kyloa.

"Goku's dragon seems very different from yours, Kyloa," commented Dende.

"That's because Skorch is a yuudragon, a warrior dragon. Embyr is a sendragon. It's sort of like a Shizen's familiar."

"What's the difference?" asked Eighteen.

"Well, their looks obviously and the fact that yuudragons can breath fire and if on good rapport with their partner, can morph to a third of the size of Shenlong."

"So can we begin these lessons already?" exclaimed Vegeta, exasperated.

"Actually, you've already learned part of lesson one. It's time for the next part," and with that, Kyloa began walking towards the center of the meadow.

"Are we supposed to follow her?" asked Krillin.

"Yep. Don't worry. The first lesson is kind of fun," answered Goku. He hurried to catch up with Kyloa.

Gohan shrugged. "Well, Dad seems to know what he's talking about. We better follow."

Once the whole gang was gathered in the center of the field, Goku had Gohan, Krillin, Eighteen, Vegeta, Sixteen, and Piccolo line up in a straight line while Kyloa sat down Indian-style in the grass and began meditating. Embyr left her shoulder to watch the proceedings from a large rock nearby. Slowly Kyloa rose to float about the same level as their heads. Without opening her eyes, she said, "Since Goku is already a Chi warrior, he and Skorch will assist in the teaching."

Before anyone could say anything, a low aura began glowing around Kyloa. "What's going on, Goku?" asked Krillin.

Goku put a finger to his lips. "Shhh. She needs total silence. She's talking with Kaachi."

Without warning, the ground under their feet began to tremble slightly. It lasted only a few seconds but during that time several eggs appeared out of the ground, one in front of each fighter. The eggs were large, nearly half the size of Krillin. Before the fighters could wonder much longer about them, Kyloa's eyes flew open, glowing with a strange light. Silently, she slipped a small unadorned knife out of her clothes and handed it to Goku. Goku then handed it over to Gohan.

"What am I supposed to do?" whispered Gohan, apprehensive.

"She'll tell you in a sec," Goku whispered back. And he was right. Kyloa began to speak, in an eerie voice unlike her own:

"Draw forth from thine own blood,

Let the Earth taste of it.

No more than three drops.

And watch as a new life begins."

Gohan glanced nervously from Kyloa to the knife to his father and back to the knife again. Goku gave him an encouraging smile, as if to say, "Go ahead. It's alright." A determined look appearing on his face, Gohan held out his hand and taking the knife, made a deep slash upon his palm. Handing the knife to Krillin, Gohan put pressure upon the wound, making sure to let only three drops of his blood fall onto the egg before him. There was a brief flash of light and suddenly the egg began to hatch.

Within a few seconds, a large piece of shell cracked off the egg, revealing a small wet dragon inside. It gave a loud high-pitch shriek as it tried to free itself from its egg prison. Embyr and Skorch trilled back, as if to reassure it. Worrying, Gohan reached down and helped it out the rest of the way. Holding the baby dragon in his hands, wonder filled his eyes as he studied it. "Wow," said Gohan.

"You've got yourself a good-looking dragon there, Gohan," commented Krillin. And it was. The newborn dragon had ivory horns just like Skorch but instead of red scales, his were a blue as dark as blueberries. His eyes opened to look at his new partner, revealing that they were a bright orange. 

"I wonder what it's name is," Gohan pondered, as he dried off the little reptile with a kerchief his dad loaned him.

"The Earth has named him Niko. In time, you will be able to speak to your dragon without any assistance from her," announced an eerie voice. It was Kyloa. She was still in her weird trance. As if as a second thought, Kyloa added, "Your dragons' looks and personalities will be similar to your own. That is why your blood was needed to give them life."

Everyone nodded in understanding, except for Gohan, who's thoughts were on his new companion. "Huh. Niko. I like it," said Gohan as he smiled at his dragon. The little creature cheeped back, as if agreeing with him.

"Continue," commanded Kyloa. Krillin glanced at Goku as if to say, "My turn?" Goku nodded. Bracing himself, Krillin sliced his hand and in a few minutes he had his own little dragon with scales the color of tree bark and eyes that gleamed a bright yellow. Its name was Jib.

"Unusual name. Wonder what it means," commented Krillin as he studied the dragon in his arms.

"In the Shizen language it means humble," replied Kyloa.

"Perfect description," remarked Eighteen, her voice full of meaning. Krillin blushed. The command of "Continue" hurried things along.

Fearlessly, Eighteen cut her palm and was soon the recipient of a beautiful little dragon with scales that shone a golden yellow and eyes a deep black. Her name was appropriately Beauty.

Vegeta was next in line. His dragon had scales blacker than night and eyes a wicked red-orange. His name turned out to be Scorn. Sixteen went next. His dragon turned out to be a bright orange with emerald colored eyes. He was named Zek, which Kyloa said meant friendly in the Shizen language.

Piccolo was the last one. Unscrupulously, he cut his hand and quickly squeezed out three drops of his strange purple blood before the wound could heal. His dragon did not need any help hatching out of his egg and within a few minutes it was dry and flying. But it refused to go to Piccolo and instead perched upon a massive rock, where it stared unwaveringly at him, as if studying him, trying to search out his secrets. Although he hid it, Piccolo was unnerved by his stare. 

"Hey, he's acting just like Piccolo! Aloof and unfriendly. Even looks like him," exclaimed Krillin. Piccolo gave him a freezing glare. But Piccolo had to admit the little creature did resemble him. His scales were a shade of green that matched his own skin and had eyes a flashing ruby red.

"A yuudragon made from Namek blood. Most unusual. It seems he will grow much faster than the others will. He also has Piccolo's regenerative abilities. The Earth has decided his name shall be Byrn," announced Kyloa. She then turned to Piccolo. "You may have a difficult time getting close to him. That will make it harder for you to become a Chi warrior. But I have a feeling that no matter what the odds are, you always come out okay." With that, Kyloa shut her eyes as the glowing aura around her slowly disappeared.

Piccolo smirked. But he didn't smirk for long. Without warning, Kyloa suddenly stopped floating and dropped from her position in the air. But Goku had been expecting it. Within a split second, he was underneath her, preventing her from hitting the ground. Looks of surprise were given all around. Embyr flew all around Goku's head, chirping in concern.

"What happened?" asked Krillin, alarmed.

"Is she alright?" asked Gohan, concerned.

"Does she need healing?" asked Dende, stepping forward. He had been watching quietly from the sidelines throughout all the proceedings. Piccolo didn't want to admit it but he was concerned about her as well.

Though exhausted, Kyloa wrapped her arms around Goku's neck and lifted her head to face them. Her skin was extremely pale and her green eyes had become dull. "There is no need for any healing. I just overworked myself. All I need is rest. You can set me down, Goku. I'll be alright."

Goku looked at her worriedly as he set her upon her feet. "Are you sure?"

"Yes. I'm sure –" She was cut off as a dizzy spell hit her and she lost her balance. This time Piccolo was the one to catch her. Hefting her into his arms, he glared at her sternly. "You are in no condition to do any amount of walking. Where do you usually sleep?"

Kyloa looked down shyly. "I usually sleep in the forest. That way." She pointed back in the direction of the cottage Piccolo spotted earlier. Stepping quickly in that direction, he reached the edge of the forest in seconds. "Now what?" he asked.

Still not looking into his eyes, Kyloa answered, "Just lean me up against that tree." By now the others and their dragons had followed, curious as to where she slept. Following her orders, although puzzled by them, Piccolo set her down against the tree. Slowly, exceedingly so, her flesh became bark and her whole being was absorbed into the tree.

Piccolo looked towards Goku, his eyebrow, or what he had for one, raised in question. "Does she usually sleep in a tree?"

Goku nodded hastily, upsetting Skorch, who was on his shoulder. "Yep. It's the only place where she feels safe. And besides, while in the Earth, she can be regenerated in several hours. We probably won't see her until morning."

Piccolo gave a quick nod in understanding. "I see."

"What do we do now Dad?" asked Gohan, holding Niko close to him. They were bonding rather quickly. If Kyloa had been there she would have explained why. With Gohan technically already a Chi warrior, the bond had to form quickly.

Goku scratched his head in thought. "Well, Kyloa would have you guys spend the rest of the day getting familiar with your dragons. I don't know about you though, Gohan, but I'm hungry."

"Is there any food around here for us to eat?" scowled Vegeta. Scorn flitted nearby, not really getting friendly at all with anyone, let alone Vegeta.

"Well, there's plenty of food in the forest. All we have to do is go foraging. But I wouldn't go hunting. Kyloa is a vegetarian and she would prefer that we not eat any meat during training. There's also the fact that several of the creatures in the forest are her friends."

"To hell with that!" growled Vegeta. Turning, he stormed off into the forest, apparently to go hunting. Piccolo rolled his eyes in disgust. At least he didn't need to eat. All he needed was water. With that, everyone split up, to bond with their dragons in their own way.

Goku shrugged his shoulders, causing Skorch to squawk in protest again. "Oh, well."


	8. Chapter 7

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Author: Thanks to piccolosfire, demon lover, and merina for reviewing my story. Here's the next chapter. Hope you like it!

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Chapter 7

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Earth, air, water, fire

One is meant for me

Which one will it be?

Morning came quickly. Not needing sleep, Piccolo and Sixteen kept a vigilant outside while the others slept in the cottage. There wasn't enough room for them all anyway. Always an early bird, Goku was up at dawn, doing stretches. Vegeta, Krillin, Gohan, Dende, and Eighteen soon followed suit. Their dragons had all learned to fly by now and perched in some trees nearby to watch their partners curiously as they conducted their early morning exercises.

"So, is our new 'teacher' going to get up sometime today?" asked Eighteen, unusually grumpy. She preferred sleeping in.

Goku paused in the middle of a stretch. "Well, usually she's up before I am. But sometimes she sort of gets, uh, 'lost in nature'. I could go wake her."

"So why don't you do so?" snarled Vegeta.

Goku shrugged and walked over to the tree Kyloa had slipped into yesterday afternoon. With a loud THWAP!, Goku gave the tree a good whack with his fist. A second later, Kyloa stumbled out of the tree, appearing quite startled. She glanced wildly around until she spotted Goku standing by the tree, grinning sheepishly.

Kyloa straightened out her clothes, a frown marring her usually peaceful face. "Goku! I would really prefer that you not do that. It really startles me. I could have come out with no clothes on in my hurry, like last time."

Goku blushed a deep red as the others snickered. "Sorry! But everyone is kind of anxious to begin."

"We could have waited Goku. Some of us do have some patience," said Dende, glancing meaningfully at Vegeta and Eighteen.

Becoming serious, Kyloa called Embyr to her as she began walking towards the center of the meadow again. Beginning to learn her ways, the fighters followed her until she stopped. Again she sat Indian-style on the ground and floated up to face them. But this time she did not begin to glow. Goku stood to the side of her as if he was her pillar.

Before she could begin, Kyloa knew she better explain one point. "There is something you must understand before we begin. These lessons usually take three years. But I will have to hurry them, since the warriors will only have about year to prepare before Queen Frozena arrives. Goku also had to do the quickened version and he only made it through just barely. They will be hard and tough. If you want out, now is the time."

No one spoke. Kyloa nodded. And so she began the second lesson. "The power the Earth will give you will increase your speed and your strength. But it mostly involves commanding control over the four elements: Water, Earth, Air, and Fire. That is why there are four Chi warriors. One to represent each element. Your training will involve you becoming more familiar with them, to see which one you are more attuned to. Goku here represents Air."

Gohan looked up, a questioning look on his face. "But you said I am already a Chi, although I have not gone through the training. What element do I represent?"

Kyloa looked pleased. "Good question. That is what we need to find out." She turned her head to look at Dende. "For this next part, I will need your help so I do not get too tired to do them all. You must learn this anyway."

Dende nodded in understanding. Copying her position, he floated up to face her. "What do I do?"

Kyloa held out her hands and closed her eyes. "Take my hands. It is important that you learn how to speak with her right away. The others will not need to yet."

Dende, completely trusting, took her hands and began concentrating. Soon they were both aglow with a strange aura of power. The fighters were forced to wait only a few moments before something happened. Off to their left an enormous rock grew to double its size and a large hole opened within, like a cave. Their eyelids flew open and they turned to stare at the fighters with ethereal pupils. In identical eerie voices, they spoke.

"Each of you in turn will take a journey deep into this cave. Your yuudragon will accompany you. Inside you will each face four challenges created by the elements. The element you are able to master is the one you are most attuned to. This is the elimination round. Those unable to master an element will be unable to continue and your dragon will be returned to the earth. This will not be easy. Trust your dragon. Good luck." Kyloa and Dende then swiveled their head toward Gohan. "You will be first."

Gulping, Gohan called his dragon to him. Chirping reassuringly, Niko perched upon his shoulder. Squaring his shoulders, Gohan entered the cave. Once he was in, the cave sealed up behind him. The darkness didn't last long. A sudden unearthly light illuminated the cave, revealing that it was very deep indeed. Shrugging, Gohan continued on.

It was some time later when he spoke. "I wonder what the first challenge will be." Niko chirped a reply, making Gohan jump in surprise. "Hey, I was able to understand that! You don't know either!"

This elation was interrupted however by a strange sound. Suddenly they were both enveloped in fire. Niko began squawking in panic, clawing Gohan's face and shoulders, hindering him. The heat was intense, blistering his skin and singeing his clothes. "Stop it, Niko! I'll figure a way out of this. Hopefully."

The fire reached to the ceiling, so he couldn't leap over it. He could try walking through it and risking a few burns. But Kyloa and Dende had said they had to master the elements. So what should he do? Than Gohan remembered a story his grandfather had told him once about Fire Mountain, where he used to live. Bracing his feet, he began the chant. "KAME-HAME-HA!"

Letting out just a small burst, Gohan was able to put out the flames. "Alright! I did it!" His celebration though was interrupted by Niko, who was trying to tell him something. "What? Slow down. What do you mean I wasn't supposed to do it that way?"

Suddenly the voices of Kyloa and Dende filled the cave. "You have failed the first challenge. Move on to the next."

Outside the caves, the others had heard the same thing Gohan had. Piccolo gave Goku a concerned look, who was quick to reassure. "Don't worry, Piccolo! No one passes the first challenge."

"Darn!" said Gohan, thinking out loud. "So how am I supposed to do it?"

He continued into the cave, deep in thought. Without warning the ground fell out from under him and he fell. Before he could fly back up, the hole was sealed. "Now what?" cried Gohan. His question was answered a few moments later. Water began pouring in at a fast pace and Gohan realized he was going to drown if he didn't do something. Raising his arm, he prepared to blast his way out. Niko stopped him by biting his ear. "OWWW! What did you do that for? We're going to drown."

The water was still rushing in and was now past his waist. Niko squawked at him, determined to get is point across. "I have to master the water. But how?"

And then Gohan felt something. It was as if something was trying to reach out to him but couldn't because his mind was closed to it. _Is the water alive?_ Closing his eyes, he began concentrating. Opening his mind to the being he felt, hoping it was the water, he asked it to return to where it came from. There was a loud gurgling noise and the water began disappearing! He had done it! Niko trilled, extremely relieved and happy. As well as proud. The hole they were in opened back up as the last of the water disappeared. As Gohan flew out, he saw that the cave opening had unsealed itself. As he walked back into the sunlight, Kyloa and Dende spoke again.

"Congratulations. You have passed the second challenge. The element you will represent is Water. It is yours and yours alone. If anyone else is attuned to it, they will be eliminated." 

Goku grinned and patted his son on the back. "Good job!"

Gohan smiled modestly. "Thanks, Dad."

Kyloa and Dende turned their attentions to Piccolo. "It is your turn."

Piccolo turned to look at his dragon who was perched in a tree nearby. "Well, are you going to accompany me?"

The little green creature studied him, as if waiting for him to make some great concession. Piccolo sighed, figuring him out. He stepped closer to the tree and said in a low voice so the others wouldn't hear, "I would prefer to have your help."

Byrn rustled his wings and gave a chirp. It seemed he had accepted his plea as the best he was going get from the green alien. He glided from the tree to take up perch on Piccolo's shoulder. Piccolo grunted, not really liking having him there. They entered the cave and watched as it closed up behind them. Just like with Gohan, the path was suddenly illuminated for them.

Unlike Gohan, the first challenge appeared immediately. Several leafy vines appeared out of nowhere and quickly entangled Piccolo and Byrn 'til they were unable to move. Annoyed, Piccolo made an impulsive decision without really thinking. He quickly prepared to make a ki blast. Realizing what he was going to do, Byrn shrieked in protest and tried to stop him. But he was too late. With a few seconds, Piccolo had them both free from the vines. Once free, Piccolo turned to glower at the dragon. "What's the matter with you?"

All of a sudden, Kyloa and Dende's voices filled the cave, answering his question. "You have failed the first challenge. Move on to the next."

Piccolo growled and looked at Byrn in surprise. "You knew I was doing it wrong, didn't you? Fine. Next time I'll listen."

Byrn gave a smug chirp as he resettled himself on Piccolo's shoulder. Sometime later, Piccolo was growling again, this time in impatience. "Is there even a second challenge?"

Piccolo spoke too soon. Within the blink of an eye, they we're surrounded by the same wall of fire Gohan had faced. Piccolo looked all around him, assessing his situation. "I can't jump over or walk through. Blasting didn't work with the first challenge." He turned to his fiery companion. "What do you suggest we do?"

Byrn gave a very lengthy and chirpy reply. Listening carefully, Piccolo found to his surprise that he could understand some of it. _Huh. Kyloa was right._ "Now let's see. You said something about 'master'. Kyloa had said to master it. How? Does she want us to talk to it?"

Piccolo and Byrn looked at each other in shock as the same idea dawned on them. _Worth a shot._ Piccolo closed his eyes and began meditating. Reaching out, Piccolo was shocked to sense a presence reaching out to him as well. It was as if the fire was alive. And he was attuned to it. Comprehending, Piccolo commanded it to stop burning. Opening his eyes, he was astonished to see it had obeyed! The fire was gone! Byrn trilled, bragging how he had been the one to save them. Piccolo snorted and replied, "I was the one who did all the work, rogue."

The opening of the cave appeared as Byrn shrieked his protestations. Piccolo did a double take as he realized he could completely understand Byrn's shrieks and squawks. Grumbling over this new development, Piccolo told Byrn to stop hurting his ears as they walked back into the sunlight to hear Kyloa and Dende congratulating them.

"Congratulations. You are attuned to the element Fire. But you are not a Chi warrior yet. You still have many lessons to learn. And if someone else is attuned to Fire, you will have competition." They swiveled their heads towards Vegeta. "You are next."

It was quite some time before Vegeta emerged and he was in bad mood when he did. He had failed all of the challenges. All of the fighters wisely did not make any remarks. "You will not continue any further with the lessons." And that was the last they said to him. "Scorn. Return."

As if in a trance, Scorn left Vegeta and landed upon the ground. Slowly he disappeared into the earth as if it was quicksand. And he was no more. Unnerved, Piccolo reached up to make sure Byrn was still upon his shoulder. It was amazing how quickly he had grown accustomed to having the little dragon upon his shoulder, chirping his opinions, wanted or not, into his ears.

Sixteen was next. He succeeded on the first challenge, much to Piccolo and Goku's chagrin, remembering the remark he had made earlier. "Congratulations. You are attuned to the element Earth. It is a rather picky element."

It was Eighteen's turn next. It turned out she was attuned to the element Air, which Goku already represented. She was eliminated and her dragon Beauty was absorbed just like Scorn. Krillin was last. He failed the first two challenges before passing the third one. He was attuned to Fire, just like Piccolo, which meant there would be competition.

Kyloa and Dende spoke in unison one last time. "It is done. The real training can now begin. Now we can see who can handle it and who cannot. The two who have failed must leave. They cannot watch or participate."

Vegeta had already left awhile back. Eighteen had only stayed to see if her husband would make it. Kissing his cheek, she wished him luck and then flew away, to return to their daughter, Marron. The glow around Kyloa and Dende disappeared and they floated back to the ground. Kyloa was pale again but other than that, she seemed all right.

"What do we do now?" asked Krillin.

Wiping sweat off her brow, Kyloa took a minute before answering. "Well, how about taking a break for lunch? Afterwards, Goku should take Gohan into the mountains to begin his training, so it won't distract you. That's where they should spend their days, until I say otherwise. You three will stay here with me to train in the mornings and afternoons. In the evenings, I should spend time teaching Dende. There is much he needs to learn." Turning to him, she explained, "I think I overwhelmed you a bit today. From now on we'll take it slower." Turning back to the others, she said, "Is that agreeable?"

"I agree. I don't know about the rest of you but I'm starving," blurted out Goku. Everyone else rolled their eyes but they seemed to agree. And so they went to have lunch.


	9. Chapter 8

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Author: Thanks to Piccolo0714 and the rest of you for reviewing my story. School picks up again on Monday, so I might not be able to update and write as I often as I like. As a senior, they like to pile on the homework. Hope you enjoy the new chapter!

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Chapter 8

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The work is now done

There is no more to do

Except to embrace death and trust in Earth.

A month had passed, in which the time was spent following the schedule Kyloa had first laid out. Krillin had been eliminated about two weeks after they had begun. He was not strong enough to maintain control over Fire, which was the toughest element and he wasn't communicating well with his dragon, Jib. So Kyloa had ordered him to return home and Jib had been absorbed back into the Earth.

The day had finally come. The end of the lessons. Kyloa had given them all the day off yesterday to meditate and reflect. Today Piccolo and Sixteen had to pass the final test. And then finally they would become Chi warriors and begin their real training with Goku and Gohan.

Piccolo had hidden himself deep within the forest so he could meditate without any disturbances. Just before dawn he spotted Kyloa sneaking quietly through the trees. Curious, he followed, 'til they came upon an impressive waterfall, hidden deep within the forest. Watching, he saw her disappear behind the waterfall, into what must have been a cave. Silently, he alighted to the ground and took up a stance just outside, leaning against an immense rock. The sun was just peaking over the mountains when she appeared again, carrying a small ceramic bottle carefully in her hands.

"So this is where you disappear to when you're not teaching us," said Piccolo quietly, revealing his presence.

Kyloa jumped, clearly startled, and the bottle slipped out of her fingers. Quick as lightning, Piccolo caught it before it could hit the ground. "Didn't mean to startle you," apologized Piccolo, handing it back to her.

Kyloa snatched the bottle from his hands, anxious to retrieve it. "It is all right. But I would prefer that you not reveal the location of this place to anyone. It is my home. And so far, no one has discovered I live here. Except for you."

Piccolo scrutinized her. This girl was a puzzle to him. He couldn't figure her out. "I will not tell anyone. You have my word on that. But tell me. Why do you live in secret, hidden from the rest of civilization?"

Tucking the bottle into her tunic, she replied without meeting his eyes. "I feel safer this way. If no one knows about you, no one can hurt you."

"Well, I know you. And I'm not going to hurt you." Piccolo couldn't believe those words had just come out of his mouth. He was getting soft.

"Thank you," whispered Kyloa. Turning, she glanced at the sun, which had almost fully risen. "I must get back. There is much to do today."

Piccolo uncrossed his arms and held out his hand for her to take. "I'll carry you. It'll be quicker."

Glancing at his hand and than at his face, she shook her head. "I'll be fine. I can go into the waterfall and the river will lead me straight to the meadow."

Leaning down, Piccolo looked her straight in the eye. "What are you afraid of? Trust me. I won't drop you."

Having no argument left, Kyloa reluctantly let Piccolo pick her up and fly her back to the others, who were waiting in the center of the meadow. "Where have you been guys?" shouted Goku as they landed. "Today is the big day."

Once again on her own two feet, Kyloa's reply was calm. "I had to go fetch something. I ran into Piccolo along the way and he gave me a ride back."

Taking a few steps away from the others, she said, "Before we begin anything today, there is something important Dende must do first."

Dende stepped forward and kneeled before Kyloa. "I am ready."

"Good." Kyloa closed her eyes and once again she was aglow as she communicated with her mother. But this time she remained standing, instead of floating. "Dende, you have proven yourself worthy to the Earth and have therefore been given the responsibility of watching over her, of keeping her safe from all evil. Are you ready to accept this position?"

Raising his head, Dende answered, "I am." Raising his left arm, he held out his hand, palm up. Slipping out her knife, Kyloa began carving a symbol upon his hand. Dende did not wince once. Once she was finished, she washed the wound in the river, blessing it. As she blessed it, the wound healed, revealing a tattoo. There was a blood red dot in the center and blue markings surrounding it. Raising his hand, Kyloa showed it to the others. "This is the symbol of Kan, the first guardian. All who see it will know that Dende is the Guardian of the Earth."

Kyloa released his hand, signaling the ritual was over. Gohan ran forward to congratulate him, while Goku cheered and Piccolo smirked. Sixteen remained ever silent. Kyloa, still glowing, went to part of the field she had never gone before and had forbidden the others to go to it. The others followed nervously. There they found a large piece of the meadow stripped of grass and flowers, in the shape of a very large rectangle. She did not stop 'til she was in the center of it. The dragons watched from rocks nearby, knowing they were not needed at this point in time.

"As your first act as guardian, you will assist me in making these men officially Chi warriors," she announced. Nodding, Dende joined her side, glowing just as she was within moments. "Those who wish to become a Chi warrior, come and kneel before us."

Obeying, Piccolo kneeled in front of Kyloa while Sixteen kneeled in front Dende. "You have proven yourselves well. And now there is only one thing left that you must do. You must have complete faith and trust in me and in the Earth. If you do not, you will die. The chose now is yours. Decide."

It did not take long for either warrior to decide. If they do not do this, there would be nothing to stop Queen Frozena from destroying the Earth and the rest of humanity. Raising their heads, Sixteen and Piccolo both said in unison, "I am ready. Do what you will."

Kyloa gave them one last warning. "As you wish. But squash all of your doubts and fears. Only your faith and trust in us can protect you."

Silently, Kyloa slipped out the little ceramic bottle and took a sip of whatever was inside. Quietly she handed it Dende, who took a sip as well. Without warning, they convulsed, scaring everyone except Goku, who remained calm. Dende suddenly leapt forward, revealing that he had suddenly grown a large set of fangs. Before Sixteen could move, Dende had sunken his teeth into his neck and Sixteen was instantly paralyzed. Piccolo looked towards Kyloa, confused and just a bit afraid. But it was too late. Kyloa was upon him and sinking her teeth into his neck. He could feel a poison slipping into his system, paralyzing him, and slowly, killing him.

Dende and Kyloa pulled away, wiping their mouths. Having gotten rid of all the poison, their fangs disappeared and they returned to normal. Loudly and quickly, they said in unison, "Give in and let thyself slip away. Thou will become lost, but thou will be kept save within her."

Just before he lost consciousness, Piccolo met Kyloa's eyes, fearing the worse. But her eyes were still composed and kind. "Trust me," she whispered. Closing his eyes, he gave in to the darkness.

Sixteen and Piccolo were dead within seconds. Goku stepped forward and laid out their bodies on the ground. Moments later, they were absorbed into the Earth. Gohan ran forward, totally lost. Niko went trilling to his shoulder, trying to reassure him. "What happened? What did you do to them? Why did you do that to them?"

Goku explained. "Don't worry, Gohan. I had to go through the same thing. As long as they don't have any doubts, Piccolo and Sixteen will be reborn by the Earth at sunset and will be just as good as new."

"Are you sure?" asked Gohan. 

Skorch gave a smug chirp from Goku's shoulder. He had watched Goku go through it and knew it wold be all right. Goku smiled. "Of course. Listen to Skorch. I came back, didn't I? But it is scary at first. You're lucky you don't have to go through it, already being born one."


	10. Chapter 9

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Author: Hey! Great News! I've just started my own site so I can post my fic along with my fanart. Please check it out and let me know what you think: http://www.angelfire.com/anime4/ali_mystic/index.html

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Chapter 9

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Awaken

Awaken thou within me

And see all that is changed.

Piccolo had no idea where he was. There was darkness all around him. But there was a warmth to the darkness. A comforting warmth that he was unable to explain. Later on, Piccolo's memories of being inside the Earth became very hazy. But there was one memory that stood out vividly. There was some sort of presence in the darkness, trying to communicate something to him. And he knew at one point, he had understood it completely.

The dragons kept a guarding vigil over the sacred place throughout the day. When sunset came, both Dende and Kyloa were ready and waiting with large white robes for the new Chi warriors. As they waited for the warriors to appear, Kyloa was suddenly gripped by a chilling thought. What if neither of them passed this final test?

A low rumbling in the earth suddenly disturbed her thoughts. Out of the ground suddenly rose Piccolo and Sixteen. They were both glowing with a strange aura. Unable to speak, they were only able to listen as a voice spoke in their minds. It was a voice unlike anything Piccolo had heard before. So beautiful and serene, yet with an undertone of wildness and violence to it. As he thought about it, Piccolo realized it sounded very much like nature manifested into her voice and being.

The way she spoke was as peculiar as it sounded. She didn't speak in any language that they knew. She didn't even seem to be making any sounds. There was just the sense of some otherworldly presence in their minds. But somehow, in their minds, she made them understand . . . 

__

"You are now Chi warriors. The mark you bear upon your shoulders makes it so. I have great faith in your abilities and know you will be able to save us all." 

As the voice faded so did the glowing aura. Blinking, Piccolo and Sixteen were finally able to move on their own. Their friends, who had been standing back while they were listening to the Earth, rushed forward to greet them.

"Look, Piccolo! You have a tattoo just like us! You too, Sixteen!" exclaimed Gohan. He was pleased his mentor had made it out okay.

"You're one of us now!" pronounced Goku.

Piccolo glanced at his shoulder to discover they were right. And that was when he noticed it. He was nude. His clothes had disappeared. So had Sixteen's. Piccolo also noticed there was something wrong with his body. The others noticed as well.

"Oh my gosh!" cried Gohan blushing.

"Piccolo! You have a dick!" blurted out Goku, too stunned to be embarrassed. It was true. Somehow, Piccolo had acquired a set of reproductive organs. And he didn't seem too happy about it either.

Dende was so shocked he dropped the robe he was carrying. Recovering himself, he quickly handed the robe to Sixteen, who accepted it politely. Cheeks burning a deep red, Kyloa discreetly averted her gaze as she held out a robe for Piccolo to take. Then Dende pointed out something else. "That's not all that's changed. You have a tattoo upon your chest as well."

Dende was right. Upon Piccolo's left breast was a tattoo they had never seen before. It was a teardrop in a shade of green much darker than his skin. In its center was a dot the color of dried blood. Upon seeing it, Kyloa let out a small gasp and dropped the robe. Piccolo had refused to take it anyway. Instead he quickly used his power to ensemble himself in his usual turban, cape, and fighting gi.

"What is the meaning of this?" growled Piccolo, obviously in a bad temper over having his physiology changed. He had noticed Kyloa's reaction to the strange tattoo and was worried about what it meant.

Clearing her throat, Kyloa attempted to explain. "Um, well, you see, uh . . ." Piccolo glowered at her impatiently, instilling fear and making her more nervous. Kyloa turned her back to them and tried to explain again. "I couldn't warn you about what might happen. You must go into the Earth having no knowledge. But sometimes when the Earth has a hold of a Chi warrior or another being, she sees it fit to change them. She told me be beforehand that she was going to change Android 16. To make him part human, like Android 18, so he could have a family if he wants to. It is a gift, a reward. I had no idea she was going to change you as well. I am sorry. She must have kept it a secret but why, I don't know."

Piccolo scowled. He knew she was lying about the last part. She knew why. But she was afraid to tell for some reason. "What about the mark on my chest?"

Kyloa kept her back turn, unable to face him. "I cannot tell you what the mark means. She has given you a private mission. It is for you to figure out."

Piccolo growled and stepped forward. Placing his hands upon her shoulders, he forced Kyloa to turn around and face him. "And how am I supposed to do that?"

Although facing him, Kyloa refused to look into his eyes. "The Earth will give you clues as time goes by. You must watch for them. If you take too long, she might just out right tell you what it is. But the mission is optional. You do not have to follow through with it if you don't want to."

She finally looked up and Piccolo saw that there were tears in her eyes. "Please let me go. You're scaring me." Her voice shook and one tear slipped out to slide down her cheek.

Feelings stirred within and Piccolo was suddenly sorry he had been so furious with her. But he still wanted answers and he could sense she knew something. He involuntarily squeezed her shoulders tighter, not noticing her wince. Embyr hissed from nearby and prepared to pounce. Kyloa lifted a hand, silently commanding her to stay as Piccolo spoke again. "There's something you're not telling me. And I want to know what it is."

Goku stepped forward and placed a restraining hand on Piccolo's shoulder. "Enough, Piccolo. Let her go. Can't you see you're hurting her? I know you're angry and that you feel violated at having your body changed without your permission but she's not the one responsible for it. She had no idea her mother would do this."

Piccolo shook Goku's hand off him. He knew he was right but he didn't want to admit it. Slowly he took his hands off her and watched as she took several steps away from him. Awkwardly, she rubbed her shoulders and Piccolo realized how hard he had been squeezing her. Feeling angry with himself, he quickly turned and headed for the forest. Byrn tried to follow him but he quickly ordered him to stay behind. He needed time alone.

Two days had passed with no sign of hair or hide of Piccolo or his whereabouts. It was late at night and everyone was asleep except for Android 16. His dragon, Zek, slept silently on a branch above. Although like him in many ways, including not talking much, he still needed more sleep than he did. But they were both alert and awake when they heard a low voice say, "Quiet, rogue. You're going to give us away."

A few moments later, Sixteen saw a large dark figure emerge from the trees, a bright green dragon perched on its shoulder. From his angle, the figure couldn't see him but he could see the figure. And he knew who it was. Revealing himself to it, he said, "So. You have decided to return."

The figure turned to him and one look at his face confirmed what Sixteen already knew. It was Piccolo. When Piccolo saw him, he snorted. Not being able to sense Androids was annoying. "Yes. I have. There is not much time left for us to train before Frozena arrives."

Sixteen nodded and then turned his head towards the cottage where Goku and Gohan were sleeping. "They were worried about you." Piccolo had no answer to that. They knew better than to worry about him. "So was Kyloa." That surprised him.

"Why was she worried about me?" asked Piccolo.

Sixteen studied him. No one ever knew what exactly Sixteen thought about but they all knew he observed more than most people did. "She feels guilty about what the Earth did to you. She felt guilty about me 'til I reassured her that I was grateful. And I am grateful."

Piccolo noticed his last statement but decided not to comment on it. "Her feeling guilty is foolish."

Sixteen averted his gaze to the stars above them. "Maybe you should tell her that. She hasn't slept since the day we became Chi warriors and you know how much power she used that day. She needs rest."

Piccolo frowned and looked out towards the meadow. Anticipating his question, Sixteen said, "She had been meditating in the meadow. But she disappeared into the river a little while ago. I don't know where she went."

"I do." Turning, Piccolo walked back into the forest, leaving Sixteen to wonder. It took awhile but he was able to retrace the way to the clearing with the immense waterfall. And there she was, sitting on a rock outcropping just above the waterfall. She wasn't meditating or sleeping. Just sitting. But she must have been deep in thought for she didn't notice Piccolo 'til he was floating in the air in front of her. She gave a little gasp and scrambled back a few inches but was forced to stop when she reached the edge of the rock. Regaining her composure, she stood up to face him as he floated there before her. Unbeknownst to them, Embyr and Byrn were perched in bushes nearby, eavesdropping.

Piccolo scrutinized her and realized Sixteen was right. Kyloa needed sleep. She was extremely pale and there were bags under her eyes, not to mention they were also bloodshot. _Has she been crying?_ Piccolo leaned forward, capturing her eyes with his own. "You haven't been sleeping. And I bet you haven't been eating either."

Kyloa gulped and forced herself to stare back. Ignoring his comments about her health, she instead asked about him. "Are you all right? I truly am sorry. I don't understand why she did what she did but I – "

Piccolo put a finger to her lips, instantly silencing her. His action surprised himself as well as her. Pulling his hand away, he said quietly, "I don't hold you responsible. And although I would have rather not to have my body altered without my permission, I have accepted it. What's done is done. There's nothing anyone can do about it now."

Kyloa lowered her eyes from his gaze. But Piccolo seemed to see right through her, though she tried to hide it. Reaching forward, Piccolo used his hand to tilt her chin upward. "You still feel guilty." 

A belligerent look came into her eyes as he said those words. Piccolo sighed. Her guilt could wait. Right now, he needed to get her to a tree. "I would spend the time to convince you differently but you are obviously in no condition for a serious discussion. You need to sleep."

Kyloa pulled away from his grasp and began backing up again. "There's no need to show concern for me. I –" She was cut off as she reached the rock's edge and lost her balance. She fell, too shocked and tired to scream. But she only fell a few feet before Piccolo caught her. Adjusting her weight in his arms, he floated closer to the ground but he didn't set her down.

"You can put me down now," Kyloa whispered.

"I don't think so. Not until you agree that if I set you down, you'll go straight into a tree and let yourself regenerate," replied Piccolo, tightening his grip. "You are in no condition to argue."

Kyloa struggled in his arms and became frightened at how weak she was. She sighed in resignation. "I agree."

"Good." Setting down on the ground, Piccolo quickly headed to the nearest tree and leaned her up against it. Several moments passed as Kyloa gathered strength to change. He eyed her worriedly. "Will you be able to change?"

Kyloa glanced at him with an unreadable look in her eyes as her limbs slowly became bark. "Of course. It is much easier to become part of a plant or dirt than air, water or fire. Especially fire. Even if I was near death and couldn't change, Kaachi would reach out and pull me into her. She's determined not to let me die until I fulfill my task. She's very protective of her children, remember?"

"Yeah," Piccolo replied. "I remember." On his last syllable, Kyloa slipped completely into the tree, her unreadable eyes the last to disappear.


	11. Chapter 10, Part I

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Chapter 10, Part I

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Everyone prepares for the feared day

But somehow time is found in between

For a new friendship to form.

Kyloa did not emerge from the tree for an entire week. But that was all right. All that was left for them to do was train and Goku was the best one to lead that operation. But there was one thing that Kyloa had yet to tell them that even Goku didn't know. Once on her feet, she held a little meeting to explain, avoiding looking at Piccolo the entire time.

She got right to the point. "You will have to include Dende in your training sessions."

"Why?" asked Gohan.

"In case a fusion is needed."

"WHAAAT?!" roared Piccolo. Byrn, who was upon his shoulder, squawked a reprimand for hurting his sensitive ears and flew to a nearby tree.

Kyloa was startled by his reaction and dared to take a glance at him. He had a look of such hostility on his face that she didn't dare to look again.

"What do you mean?" asked Goku. Skorch chirped, confused as well.

"If you are unable to defeat her separately, than fusion would be your last chance. The four of you would combine together to become a much stronger entity."

"Than why would you need me?" asked Dende.

"The four Chi warriors would represent the limbs and portions of the brain. But the guardian is needed to represent the heart to complete the fusion. It is a _five_-person fusion. Not two or four. Five."

"Will we be able to separate from each other afterwards?" questioned Piccolo, his voice strangely cold.

Kyloa gave him a confused look. "Of course. Before fusing you must declare to the Earth why you are fusing and she will grant you the power to maintain it and will not take away the power 'til your task is done. Then the fusion will end and you will all be separate persons once again."

"And if we don't complete the task?" continued Piccolo.

Kyloa frowned in thought. "I am not sure. No one has ever failed in completing the task before."

Piccolo growled and Dende looked worried. "It won't kill us, will it?"

"It shouldn't. Kaachi loathes the taking of life."

Piccolo grunted and looked like he was going to argue but he looked into Kyloa's eyes and felt his belligerence slowly ebb away. It was as if she was begging him to trust in her. And he had trusted her so far. Why stop now?

"All right," agreed Goku. "We'll include Dende but I think we should leave fusion as the last resort. Sort of as a back up plan."

Kyloa looked relieved. "Good." Noticing her look, Piccolo realized that she was worried about their safety. That was why she had suggested the fusion technique. Adhering to Goku's word, they left to continue their training, dragons following.

Days passed in quick succession as the warriors prepared for the arrival of Queen Frozena. Kyloa kept them updated on how close she was. She kept track of their progress and occasionally gave an insightful tip on how to use their new gifts. But most of the time she kept out of their way.

Piccolo received his first clue to his mission a couple of weeks after he had been reborn by the Earth. He had discovered earlier that not only did he have genitals, but he now needed to eat and sleep as well. At least his appetite wasn't as big as Goku's. After eating a small dinner, he had gone to the riverbank so he could sleep in peace away from Goku's snoring. But the second he fell asleep, his mind was flooded with strange and vivid dreams.

Images flashed through his mind of humans living in a small, peaceful, village deep in a forest. Going about doing ordinary everyday things. Then, as if he was a video camera, the visions zoomed in to reveal that these people were not ordinary at all. For every last one of them had blood red drops tattooed upon their foreheads. Just like Kyloa. His head began to ache as the scene changed again. This time it showed that same village burning. The people were no longer peaceful as they ran screaming from some unknown terror from above. Head pounding, the scene changed for the last time. The village was completely destroyed now, with blood and rubble everywhere. Here and there was a body but most of them seemed to have been burned to ash. Suddenly all the images swirled together and Piccolo got one good look at a new picture appearing before awaking. It looked like a little baby wrapped in a snow-white blanket. But he couldn't tell if the baby was human or not and somehow he knew that knowing this was the most crucial part of this dream.

He awoke sweating to find Dende and Kyloa studying him worriedly. The others were fast asleep in the cottage. "Are you alright Piccolo? You're sleep seemed troubled, the way you were tossing and turning," questioned Dende.

"Well, I had some pretty troubling dreams, kid," replied Piccolo, sitting up. Byrn flew to his shoulder, trying to hide his concern but Piccolo saw right through him and it strangely gratified him to know the little dragon cared.

"What about?" asked Kyloa.

Piccolo frowned as he collected his thoughts. "I dreamt about a village in a forest."

"That doesn't seem so strange," commented Dende.

"The strange thing was that they all had the same tattoo as nature girl here. I also dreamed about the village being destroyed and all the people dying."

Kyloa turned away, realizing what he had dreamed about. "You dreamt about the Shizen, before they were destroyed. It is clue from Kaachi. Your mission has something to do with the Shizen and their destruction. Do you remember anything else?"

"At the end of the dream I saw a baby. That's all I remember. What kind of clue is that?"

Kyloa gave a brief answer before walking away. "Part of this mission is about proving yourself to her. She not will make this simple for you." Embyr chirped puzzledly as she hurried to catch up with her mistress as Kyloa walked briskly away.

Dende looked at Piccolo in confusion. "I think there is something about this mission you were given that bothers her."

Piccolo shook his head. _That girl keeps too many secrets for her own good._ "Don't worry about it, kid. If nature girl felt it was something we needed to know, she would tell us." Dende nodded and left to leave Piccolo to his sleep. Piccolo grunted and laid back down as Byrn flew back to his tree to sleep. _This sleeping business is turning out more annoying than I thought it would be._


	12. Chapter 10, Part II

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Author: I was on such a roll, I already finished part II of chapter 10 and I was too impatient to wait 'til next Saturday to post it. So here you go. In answer to a question I'm not sure if I answered yet or not, Sixteen is alive because Bulma rebuilt him.

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Chapter 10, Part II

At first it wasn't noticeable. But as time went on, first Piccolo, than Sixteen, and then the others, including mini-dragons, noticed that Kyloa seemed to be avoiding Piccolo. Even Goku finally noticed it. She avoided all contact with him and only spoke to him when it was absolutely necessary. She also spent more time in the forest, as if she was trying to hide from something. It puzzled them all. But Piccolo suspected it had something to do with the mysterious tattoo on his chest that no one could figure out and the peculiar mission he had been given.

And than suddenly Piccolo had another unusual dream. This time it didn't hurt as much as he forced his sleeping mind to focus on it. He needed to figure out this mission before he lost anymore sleep on it. The dream began with images of Mr. Popo discovering a baby with a Shizen marking. He watched the baby grow to become a happy young girl with dark, forest green hair and bright leaf green eyes. She was so familiar somehow. She seemed quiet and serious in the images he saw but she also seemed happy for she smiled and laughed as well. Then the dream went out of focus and he could only get a sense of pain and deep remorse and later horror and fear. He briefly caught a glimpse of the girl fighting a female creature that looked pretty similar to King Kold and Frieza.

When the dream came into focus again, the girl was older and more quiet and serious and he realized why she was so familiar. It was Kyloa. The dream was about Kyloa. She no longer laughed or smiled and he rarely saw her with Mr. Popo or any other people. Than a younger version of Goku appeared and he realized that this was when he was her student. He watched as Goku completed his training and then his memory was erased, leaving Kyloa alone again. He watched as seasons passed and Kyloa continued to be alone except for her dragon, Embyr. Brief images were shown of her watching over Goku and his battles with Radditz, Nappa, and Vegeta. She had even observed Mirai Trunks battle with Frieza and Piccolo realized that was why her energy seemed so familiar. She was always there, just beneath their sight. She was witness to their battles with Cooler, the Androids, and Cell. The images swirled and again the baby appeared. Just as Piccolo was close to seeing whether the baby was human, the strange creature he saw earlier in the dream snatched the baby and also grabbed Kyloa, who appeared out of nowhere, crying. 

Not knowing why, Piccolo felt a wave of intense rage go through him and chased after them. But he before he could catch them, the creature killed Kyloa and the baby, laughing the whole time. His rage increased but before he could leap to attack her, she disappeared and Piccolo found himself staring at the concerned face of his former student, Gohan.

"Hey Piccolo. Are you all right? I could sense your ki rising, as if you were about to attack someone." Niko chirped worriedly from his perch upon Gohan's shoulder.

Piccolo sat up, shaking his head as he tried to force his mind to accept that it was just a dream. A very disturbing dream. Byrn trilled gently in his ear, trying to comfort. "I'm fine Gohan. Just a strange dream, that's all."

"Was it another clue from the Earth?" asked Gohan curiously.

"Yes, it was." Piccolo stood up and adjusted his cape. "I think nature girl and I should have a talk." With that he walked into the forest to find Kyloa, leaving a puzzled Gohan behind. He sent Byrn away, saying he needed to talk to Kyloa alone. Byrn was instantly annoyed and flew away in an angry huff. Piccolo shook his head at him. He'll understand, once he cools down.

Piccolo went straight to the clearing with the waterfall but he couldn't see Kyloa anywhere. But Embyr was sleeping in a tree nearby and she never strayed very far from her mistress. He spread out his senses and eventually picked up a trace of her energy. She seemed to be in the rock outcropping above the waterfall, where she usually sat to think. She must have disappeared into the rock when she sensed him coming. Well, he wasn't about to hit that rock just to get her to come out. Instead he calmly floated up to it and announced, "I can sense you in that rock. Come out now. We need to talk."

A few moments passed and Piccolo began to think she was going to be stubborn. Then a large piece of granite appeared out of the rock and quickly morphed into Kyloa. She tilted her head at him, scrutinizing him and then said calmly, "Kaachi has sent you another dream."

Piccolo didn't brother to wonder how she knew. He just nodded in response. She fidgeted, becoming nervous. Her next question was barely above a whisper. "Have you discovered what her clues mean yet?"

Piccolo shook his head and became puzzled as he watched Kyloa sigh in relief. "What did you dream about?"

"I dreamt about you." Kyloa started in surprise. Piccolo took note of it and continued. "I dreamt of you being found and raised by Mr. Popo. You seemed happier then. You smiled more. And then the Earth seemed to skip over a section of your life. It seems to me that that part of your life must have been pretty important for the rest of the dream showed you spending time isolated and seemingly in mourning. Over what though, I don't know. I saw the baby again as well. But before I could get a good look at it, a strange creature came and took it away. I watched as this being killed the baby and . . . you."

Kyloa looked into his eyes with a look that Piccolo was unable to read. "I'm pretty certain that that life altering event has something to do with the time King Kold spent on Earth and your battle with Queen Frozena. But both you and the Earth keep quiet, not relating any details about it. What are you trying to hide? If it has something to do with our upcoming battle or my mission, I need to know."

Kyloa turned away and went to the river. Placing her hand in the water, she churned it 'til an image appeared. It was the female creature in his dream. "Was this the creature you saw in your dream?"

"Yes." Piccolo studied it. "Who is it?"

"This is Queen Frozena." She stood up and the image faded away. "I think Kaachi wants you to protect me and this baby from Queen Frozena."

"But that's not the whole mission." It was a statement, not a question.

"No, it isn't." She floated back to her rock and sat upon it.

Piccolo followed. "Who is the baby?"

She avoided looking into his eyes. "I don't know."

Piccolo reached out his hand and turned her face to him. "I think you do."

"You're right. I do. But I can't tell you if you haven't figured it out yet."

Piccolo sighed in frustration. He was on his own. But there was still the other matter. "You avoided my question earlier."

Kyloa glanced back at him in confusion. He gave her a patient look. "What are you trying to hide? There's something from your encounter with King Kold and Queen Frozena that you seem to be trying to bury."

Kyloa looked at him with glistening eyes. He realized she was trying to hold back tears. "I did bury it. But it resurfaced anyway."

"You are too distrustful. And don't tell me that's a Shizen trait. You have to trust someone sometime. Or this secret you are keeping will eat you alive."

Kyloa studied him, as if trying to see into his soul. "Are you saying I should trust you, Piccolo?"

Piccolo facevaulted. He hadn't meant to imply she should trust _him_. But now that he thought about it, he did want her to trust him. He was tired of her hiding all the time for no reason he could see. The others were centered on their training and did not want to delve deeper into the mystery that was Kyloa. He should be concentrating on his training as well but for some reason this girl kept creeping into his thoughts and distracting him. Maybe if he got her to confide in him, he could concentrate better. But he doubted it.

"I've trusted you. Why can't you trust me?" came Piccolo's reply. By the look on her face, Piccolo knew that he had gotten to her.

Kyloa studied him for a few moments longer and then finally looked away. "You have a point. I have no reason not to trust you. And I do trust you."

Piccolo felt like tearing out his hair, if he had hair. "So what's stopping you?"

"I'm afraid," murmured Kyloa.

"Of what?"

"Of what you and the others will do when you find out."

"Find out what?"

Kyloa turned her eyes back to him. "Why do you want to know? Why do you care? We're not friends."

Piccolo looked at her eyes and made a decision that changed everything. "Yes, we _are _friends. And _friends_ trust each other."

Kyloa's eyes widened in surprise. Then she gave him a timid little smile, the first Piccolo had seen since he had met her. "Friends," she whispered. "It's been a long time since I have had a friend besides Embyr." Kyloa paused, as she seemed to be considering something. "If we both survive the fight with Queen Frozena, I will tell you everything you want to know. I promise."

Piccolo raised an eyebrow. "Everything? Even the dreams?"

Kyloa nodded. "_Everything_."

Piccolo gave one firm nod in acknowledgement. Then he decided to suggest something that had been rolling around in his mind for awhile. "It'll be much easier to protect you if you learn how to defend yourself."

Kyloa shook her head almost instantly. "I don't fight. I was not made for fighting. It is not in my nature."

Piccolo rolled his eyes. "That doesn't mean you can't learn. Besides, I was talking about just learning how to defend yourself against someone attacking you. I didn't think you would like to learn how to attack others yourself. Or at least how to fly faster so you can get away from danger."

Kyloa tilted her head at him, contemplating. "I guess that would be all right."

Piccolo snorted. "Of course it would be all right." And that was the beginning of a curious friendship.

__ Questions asked by you bring pain So let it be forgotten 

For I cannot tell 

What you want to know.

Far away from this peaceful place . . . 

The dark vastness of space surrounded the small ship as it flew at a breakneck speed towards its destination. It was not nearly as calm inside as it was outside though. In the recesses of this strange ship sat an even stranger creature with a heart even darker than the darkness that surrounded the ship. Her purpose was one of vengeance and that was the only thing that filled her being. But vengeance was a powerful motivator. It had been the cause behind many disasters and deaths. And it was yet the cause again for the threat to a certain blue planet deep in the suburbs of space. Earth. ****

*End of the Shizen Saga*

**__**

Frozena Saga Coming Soon


End file.
